China to launch manned spacecraft: Xinhua

October 16, 2016 8:19 am

By AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE, Beijing, China, Oct 16 – China will launch a manned space mission on Monday, official media said, as the Asian giant works towards setting up its own space station.

Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong will be on board the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft as it blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert, the official Xinhua news agency reported Sunday.

They will arrive at China’s orbiting space lab Tiangong-2 within two days and stay for 30 more before returning to earth, according to the report.

Jing, a 50-year-old astronaut who has already been to space twice, will command the mission to the lab, which was launched in September.

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